Reunited Final Fantasy 7
by Aleniz
Summary: 3 years has gone since meteor and things have changed a lot. Cloud is sulking over not being the glorious hero he once was, Tifas' maternal instincts have kicked in and she's constantly worried, Yuffie has a big secret she's afraid to share with the group, Barret has some exiting news, Red, Cid, Cait and Reeve are pretty much the same and Vincent... well... he's just Vincent.
1. Chapter 1

**Well. I'm attempting this for the first time and trust me it hasn't been easy writing this considering English is not my first language (it comes in third), So I would like for you to bear with the fact that I won't write or express myself perfectly in English. I hope you enjoy the story anyway and that I don't make people confused.  
**

**The story takes place one year after Advent Children (three years after the game).**

**NOTE: (I realize the cats in Wutai is not necessarily Yuffies' cats in the game but here when I mention them, they used to be hers.)**

OBS: I do NOT own any of the characters or the names in this story. The credit for that goes to Square-Enix who created the game Final Fantasy 7.

Chapter 1: REUNION

Cloud was looking out through the window of Tifas' remade bar, also named 7'th Heaven, situated right outside of what used to be the high technology city of Midgar.  
Now the city was a mere shadow of what it once used to be, if even that.  
_The city... Me... Both! _He thought for himself.

Not that he wasn't happy with the changes that had occurred the last few years, the world was certainly a much better place now.

Midgar was falling apart and no one hardly ever went there anymore. Instead they had built a new city southeast of the former capital.  
They called it EDGE.

Reeve, whom now was somewhat of a hero to the survivors in this new world, had gathered volunteers from all over the world to create a more equal and safer home for everybody.  
Even the few remaining Turks had helped, giving Shinra a whole new face to the public.

They had stared into the face of death when watching helplessly how meteor approached at full speed towards them, with no hope left as it had seemed, but then suddenly a beautiful light had risen from every corner of the world to protect them, fighting meteor of and giving everyone a second chance to LIFE.  
"We have been given the opportunity to set things right again." Reeve had spoken to the eager crowd.

"With a little less funds, but a lot more heart we can create a city greater than Midgar."  
People had been cheering nonstop and Reeve had surely kept his promise, but he was nearly starting and had still a long way left to go.

Tifa had opened up her bar and at the same time taken on the role as a mother to a young orphan boy named Denzel.  
She was a great mother, as expected.  
She had always looked after Marlene for Barret, and everyone else for that matter.

She still took care of Marlene from time to time as Barret, inspired by Reeves recent initiatives to help others, had taken on a project to rebuild the village of Corel.

"Y'ain't gonna be better than me you Ex-Shinra recruit." He had stated when hearing about Reeves given plans.  
It was hard work, but shortly after the near catastrophe, Dio, the owner of the Gold Saucer had had a sudden urge to do something good for humanity and opened up a charity account, giving away 20% och the Gold Saucers profits to the restoration of Corel among other small villages nearby.

Not nearly enough according to Barret, but he was still grateful for the aid he was given, knowing he could do very little without it.

Cait Sith had joined Yuffie who was now an oficial guardian of Wutai. Yuffies' main role was to keep the surroundings of the town clean from monsters to prevent them from entering the city, and since it took up most of her time she had found it necessary to give all her cats away. A mechanical cat as companion was more convenient, not to mention he served well as a good sidekick in battle, and TALKED, which Yuffie was very fond of doing.

Then there was Cid who had married Shera, with whom he had opened up a flight school back in Rocket Town.  
"We're making transport easier to everyone, I'm telling ya, we're writing history. Soon there'll be no more #%& buggies and that motorcycle of yours will seem useless in comparison." He had said laughing out loud, his mouth wide open but still managing to not drop his cigarette.

Nanaki, or Red as they were used to call him, was back at Cosmo Canyon doing research with Bugenhagen.  
It mainly involved gathering materia from all over the world and examining it.  
Bugenhagen believed that materia was the very soul of the ancestors and should therefore be returned to the Lifestream, but they were yet to discover how.  
Yuffie had not been thrilled with the idea, but she had finally agreed to give them all of her materia IF they ever discovered how to restore it into its' original form, something she didn't expect to happen any time soon.

And Vincent... Well... Vincent was just Vincent. He stopped by from time to time but he never stayed for too long. It was good though, at least he hadn't gone back to sleep in his coffin and maybe it was just Clouds' imagination but he seemed to smile more often.

No, everything was well, he couldn't think otherwise, except for himself...  
He was living with Tifa and working as a delivery guy. It was a good and honest job, plus he got to ride his motorcycle, which he enjoyed, and deliver packages to people.  
He had a pretty busy schedule and delivered more often from town to town than within Edge itsel, after all it was dangerous with all the monsters around to travel, and who better to do the job than the main hero himself?

Denzel looked up to Cloud like some kind of father figure, saying he wanted to grow up and be just like him. He reminded Cloud of himself as a young boy, striving to become a Soldier like Sephiroth.  
He had managed to become more than that, beating the mighty Sephiroth single-handed and restoring the peace to the planet.

But now as he stood there, watching Denzel and Marlene through the window, laughing and running, he remembered his childhood dreams so clear.

What he once hoped to become was now long gone, and while he did still have Tifa, who meant the whole world to him, he felt that young Cloud would have been very disappointed knowing that he would turn out to be nothing more than a delivery guy.

It had been nearly a year since Kadaj and his gang had disturbed the peace and Cloud had once again stood face to face with the reincarnated Sephiroth.  
After defeating him, the geostigma was finally cured, letting everyone truly go on with their lives. *  
And so it all ended, the fights, the glory...

_You're just never happy, are you? _He thought imagining Aeriths' voice. She would hate to see him like that, sulking over not being able to fight anymore. Had she seen him now, that's probably what she would have said, or at least thought. Thinking this lead him to frown a little.  
_Aerith... you were so cheerful and so full of life... _

His thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly heard steps on the stairs who could not belong to any other than Tifa.

_Got to put on a happy face for her, she already dealt with me sulking over nothing long enough._ He thought and turned away from the window to face her instead.

"Good morning Cloud, you're up early!" She said and smiled. She had put up her hair in a ponytail and was wearing a blue dress.  
She approached the kitchen and started taking things out of the fridge.

""The kids are.." He started.

"Oh, the kids are up?" She interrupted him and leaned over to see passed and through the window behind him.

"Well i heard them and came downstairs... I figured I'd let them play a while longer waiting for you."

She was still leaned over looking passed him as if he hadn't listened to a word he said.

_Why would she listen to me now, it's not like I have anything interesting to say... _He thought before realizing he was sulking again.

"Oh, sorry Cloud. She finally said and went back to prepare breakfast.

"I was just wondering when the others were going to arrive."  
Cloud was confused.  
_Others? What others?_

He watched her gathering stuff and taking them to a table at the bar.  
She could barely hold on to everything and he rushed over to help her before she dropped something.  
"Tifa Calm down... Let me help." He said. At the same moment Tifa dropped it all on the table and he was just in time to stop the salt shaker from rolling off of it.  
He started setting the table and looked worried at Tifa who was now pressing her hand on her forehead with her eyes closed.

"What's wrong Tifa? Are you aright?" He asked and approached her as he finished setting the table.

"Yes, I'm fine... I just... I want everything to be perfect for when they come."  
He stood there watching her press her forehead and couldn't help but noticing how beautiful she looked all dressed up.

"Who's coming?"

She suddenly dropped her hand and looked surprised over Clouds given question.

"You mean I didn't tell you? I'm so sorry Cloud! The others... Barret, Red, Cid, Cait, Yuffie... Even Reeve found time to come. They are staying here the whole weekend.  
Cloud suddenly got excited knowing he'd meet his friends again after so long.

"Really? All of them?"

"Well... I don't know about Vincent. Barret said he spoke to him last week but he didn't know since he hadn't given him a straight answer. But you know Vincent... He doesn't really like putting himself into compromising situations, still he might show up anyway." She said sounding hopeful as usual.

"What about Yuffie? Can she really just leave her duties as a guardian?" Cloud asked.

"Apparently, according to Yuffie, there's not much threat left since she wiped away all monsters from the area with her super-strenght and great intelligence." Tifa said smiling.

"I seriously doubt that, but the town managed without a guardian before so why not now, right?" Cloud said and grinned vaguely.

"I guess, but don't tell Yuffie that. She's really proud of her new position. Up until now no human was ever titled guardian in Wutai, it has always been Leviathan."  
Suddenly the door opened up and Denzel ran in and sat down at the table.  
"Hi mom, hi Cloud" He said smiling widely.

He was just about to grab a piece of bread when...

"Oh, no you don't! Not with those filthy hands. Go wash yourself up first, Denzel."

"Oh... Right! Sorry mom." He said and jumped up running to the bathroom.  
Marlene who was now standing next to Tifa just giggled and followed him to wash her hands as well.  
Tifa stood looking at their direction. She looked happy and she had every reason to be. Ever since Denzel got rid of his geostigma he was so happy, running around, playing and acting like any other boy his age.

She sat down at the table in front of were Cloud was already sitting.  
Soon the kids joined them as well and they all had breakfast together.  
Cloud was staring at Tifa and she found herself blushing a bit.  
_He noticed my dress... _she thought but then suddenly he stopped looking at her and looked down instead.  
_Oh never mind, it was probably just my imagination. He doesn't look at me that way..._

She had hoped they'd be a couple by now, but that hadn't happen and she was wondering if it ever would.

_She looks so beautiful in that dress and with her hair like that._ He thought.  
_Should I tell her that? Maybe I should... Just man up and be straight with her. Wait, she's blushing! Why? Oh, right... I'm staring I should just look away, it's probably bothering her...  
_"Cloud?" She asked and looked down her coffee-mug as soon as the kids left the table.

"Do you think... mayb..." She started but was interrupted by the sound of a car approaching outside.  
"It must be them!" She said and jumped up of her chair.  
"And we didn't even clear the table yet!"

"Calm down, they're here to see us, not write an article about our cleaning skills."  
Tifa hurried to pick everything up from the table and Cloud figured he better help her before she dropped it all again.

*toc toc toc* someone knocked and Tifa leaned over and looked at the door with her arms full.  
"Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!" She said and ran to the kitchen and out before the slide door had the chance to fully close again, with a wet table-rag and wiped the table clean as fast as she could.

*TOC TOC TOC* it sounded a bit louder.  
"Um... should I open?" Cloud asked, unsure if she felt ready yet.

Luckily the drapes were down so the group outside could not see them.

Before Tifa could answer, Marlene and Denzel ran passed Cloud who was standing close to the door and opened it up.  
"#%&! Takes you guys forever to answer the door." Cid said and waltzed in with a bag that he dropped in the hallway floor.

"DAD!" Marlene said and ran up to Barret who was coming in next and jumped up in his arms.  
Another car approached at full speed, leaving tire marks on the ground as it stopped. Out came Yuffie and Cait Sith waving from a distance before grabbing a bag bigger than Yuffie herself and entering the bar/house.  
Denzel stared at her as if mesmerized by her looks as Yuffie ruffled his hair and smiled to him.  
"Cloud. Long time no see old buddy" Cid exclaimed and hugged him breathless before letting him go again.  
"Hey guys! Good to see you all again!" Cloud said and smiled after catching his breath.

As Tifa approached the group, now calmer than before to greet them a helicopter started to land outside.  
"Tifa! Looking good as always!" Barret stated.  
"But you got a little something on your dress."  
Tifas' face suddenly froze and she slowly looked down to discover what she had feared it to be.

"JAM! I GOT J-A-M ALL OVER MYSELF! HOW EMBARRASSING..."  
Oh, you know... kids, bar, everything... Excuse me!" She said and ran of almost leaving a cloud of smoke behind her.  
Out of the helicopter came Reeve and Red whom he had offered to pick up earlier that day.  
"Cait!" Reeve said, happy to see his old buddy again.

"Reeve, Red Good to see ya." Everyone greeted.  
"So, everyone's here then?" Tifa asked now dressed in her usual set of garment.

"WOW, that was fast!" Cid said impressed.

"Sorry, guys." She said and smiled.  
"It's good to have you all here."  
"It's good to be here! I'm STARVING! Got any food?" Yuffie said and made her way to the kitchen before Tifa could answer.

"WOOAH! Someone just had breakfast!" She shouted through the kitchen door behind the bar.  
"Heh." Tifa smiled embarrassed and hoped the rest wouldn't pay attention to Yuffie as usual, but instead they all by one went to the kitchen as if they were lining up to see the mess.

Barret: "Yeah I haven't eaten all day!"

Cid: "Me neither!"

Red: "I too could use a bite..."

Reeve: "Well, since you all are eating..."

Tifa was so embarrassed she hid her face in her palms.  
Cloud put his arm around her, patting her shoulder soothingly.

"They don't care Tifa..." He said and she nodded, with her face still hidden.

The kitchen door slammed open and out came the group eating fried chicken legs with Cid and Barret on the lead.  
They all sat down at the different tables around them and did nothing but eat the next few minutes with Tifa just staring at the group as they ate the dinner she had prepared for them to eat that evening.

"See?" Cloud said and grinned for proving his point.  
"This is real good Tifa. Thanks for the snack." Cid said.

"Hey where's Vincent?" Yuffie asked.  
"That boney ass mood swinger? Yeah, where is he?" said Barret just noticing Vincent weren't there.  
"Didn't you say that he didn't tell you if he was coming or not?" Tifa asked him.

"Yeah, but I kinda hoped he'd come anyway. It's just not the same without him, you know?"

Suddenly a burp interrupted the conversation, managing to change the subject.

"EWW, GROSS!" Yuffia exclaimed and waved the air around her.

"Where's your manners Cid? We've got ladies present!" Reeve said and looked at Tifa and Yuffie.

"Sorry, I just couldn't hold the charmer in." Cid said and laughed out loud.

Barret joined his laughter and Cloud smiled. Marlene and Denzel were sitting giggling in the background and Tifa just shook her head before bursting into laughter as well.

"Right... I remember now!" She thought.

**More chapters coming up soon.**

**So, what did you think for my first chapter?  
Please don't be too harsh on me and thanks for reading all the way down here :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**Still don't own any characters or the world I write about in this story. It all belongs to Square-Enix. **

Chapter 2:

A pair of pointy shoes were stepping in the dark streets of Edge.

It had been raining during the afternoon and there was still humidity in the air.

Suddenly a dark figure, owner of the shoes, took a sprint up a wall and jumped on the ceiling of a rather tall house.

His hair was long and his eyes gave away a tiny red sparkle in the dark.  
The long haired man started to jump from roof to roof to create himself a shortcut. He was fast and the sound of his cape breaking the wind echoed in the air.

Suddenly he jumped of and faced a house that was all lit up and paced slowly towards its' door.

He reached with his metallic hand for the door and turned the knob around.

As he entered the house he saw the former revolutionary group of AVALANCHE sitting by various tables talking.  
They seemed worried, but then again the mysterious man always thought they exaggerated things too much.  
Quietly he went to sit down on a stool at the counter of the house/bar and listened to the group converse about what seemed to be... him.

"Yeah he's quiet alright. Sometimes I find myself saying all kinds of stupid things just to get a word out of him, but nothing..." Said the muscular, gun-armed man

"Well, maybe he just doesn't like small-talk?" Said the girl with long dark hair.

"He's booooring." Said the tiny ninja-girl with a high-pitched voice.

"No, he mature, a word you're not familiar with." The smoking man growled at her.

"HEEY!" She shouted back.

"It doesn't matter how he's like, what matter is that he's our friend. Yes, he didn't show up but he surely must have his reasons..." Said the thin-bearded man with the mechanic cat on his lap before getting interrupted.

"HE SLEPT IN A FR#%&IN COFFIN FOR 30 YEARS STRAIGHT, FOR GODS' SAKE!" The gun-armed man shouted.

The spiky blonde guy, also known as the groups former leader, had noticed the mysterious man sitting by the bar, approached him and sat down on a stool next to him.

"Enjoying the show Vincent?" he spoke with a low voice and smiled.

"Interesting..."Vincent said with no expression.

"Should we tell them?" Cloud asked.

"...I mean he's like 60 but looks 27... what's up with that." Barret stated.

"It was Hojo's evil doing..." Said Red grievingly.

"I know but... maybe he's really old and tired... ya know?" Barret explained.

"Like I said... He's BOOOORING!" exclaimed Yuffie.

"CUT IT OUT YUFFIE!" Shouted Cid.

"Hey everyone! Instead of fighting over this why don't we go look for him?" Said Tifa standing up.

"Tifa, what can we do? If he went back to that coffin he probably doesn't want to be disturbed..." Said Red and shook his head sadly.

"Yeah..." Vincent finally answered to Clouds' question.  
Cloud stood up and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Guys..." He said but the crowd just kept arguing over the whereabouts of Vincent.  
"Guys!" He said louder but still no answer.

_Damn, I used to be their leader for crying out loud! _He thought getting irritated over being ignored by his former followers.

He inhaled and filled his lungs with air until his face got all red.

"HEY MORONS!" He shouted out loudly.  
Suddenly everyone silenced and looked directly at him. Just looking at the former Avalanche group would be intimidating to any common person, even more so after calling them morons, but not Cloud. He knew them too well to worry about stuff like that.  
"HEY, who you're calling a moron you spiky ass &#% !" Barret yelled flipping his arms around with rage as he often did when getting angry.

"Cloud that was really not nice of you!" Tifa started to lecture him.

"Oh, Guys! Look, it's HIM!" Yuffie said and jumped up and off her chair of excitement.  
"Not now Yuffie!" Tifa snapped at her, annoyed for being interrupted.

"Yeah, I expect Barret to act all block-headed, but you?" Cid said surprised receiving a disapproving glance from Barret.  
_Great! Still clueless._ He thought then looked at Vincent. _Hope he doesn't feel ignored..._

"We are all worried about our friend, so excuse us for trying to figure out his whereabouts'." Tifa continued her lecture.

"Seriously guys... VINCENT!"

"YUFFIE, Vincent can wait! Plus, you were the one saying he was boring and that we should stop worrying, so why do you care all of the sudden?"

"She means that Vincent is here, he's sitting right next to me..." Cloud answered for her.

They all turned their heads and yes, there he was sitting in a stool at the bar looking all serious as always.  
"... I tried to tell you..."  
Baffled they just stood there silently with jaws wide opened, staring at their shape-shifting friend.

"When..?" Reeve finally started to build a phrase.  
"Oh my god, VINCENT! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you!" Tifa said and rushed to hug him. Obviously not expecting to receive a hug back, but just knowing he hadn't gone back to sleep in his coffin (yet) was a big relief.

"No need for apologies..." He answered with his dark, mysterious voice.

"So... when you called us..?" Cid asked Cloud.

"He's been here for a while." Cloud answered.

"Still Cloud, next time you pull a stunt like that I smack your spiky ass up." Barret stated angrily, but Cloud knew he was forgiven, that was just Barrets' common way to address him.

Vincent just sat there silently and observing the group.  
_He is so hard to read. _Cloud thought to himself.

"HEY, now that we are all here I've got an announcement to make!" Barret said excited.  
"Something about Corel I guess." Cid commented.  
"No, you just sit, shut up and listen." Barret said and pointed to a chair in front of him.  
"Oh, wait, where's Marlene?"  
"Just tell us already!" Cid said.  
"Not without Marlene, she should be the first to hear." Barret yelled waving his arms.  
Tifa who was standing next to him put her hand on Barrets' shoulder to calm him down.  
"Marlene and Denzel are asleep upstairs. If you're not in a hurry it can wait until tomorrow."

"Nooo, I really wanted to know." Cid exclaimed with sarcasm.

"Yeah me too!" Yuffie said jumping up and down, clueless that Cid was just being sarcastic.  
Barret stood quiet for a few seconds then he finally shook his head and went to sit down on a chair across the room.

"Tifa is right. It can wait."

_What's so important that he needs to share with everyone. _Cloud wondered.

He wasn't the only one wondering the same thing. Yuffie who was intrigued with Barrets' upcoming announcement was now sitting next to him pleading him to tell her but Barret kept a stubborn attitude and didn't say anything. Cloud was surprised he hadn't shouted at her yet. Just a calm and repetitive "No." and nothing more.  
_It must really matter to him._

Tifa was cleaning up tables and soon Reeve had joined in to help her. Cloud was just about to pick up a few glasses himself when he turned around and stared right into the eyes of Vincent.  
"Woah!"

"... forgive me Cloud... I did not mean to frighten you."

"No, haha, you didn't scare me, I was just surprised." Cloud said nervously.  
_Those eyes are real freaky._

"... Anyway, I had no intention of staying long, but Barret seems to want us all present tomorrow."  
"Yeah, it seems important to him. Why? You have to be somewhere else?" Cloud said now more calm.

"...No..."

"So, what's the problem?"  
Vincent stood quiet for a while as if trying to figure out a reason for him to leave early.  
"... I suppose I can stay a while longer..." He finally said.  
_He just got here, was he thinking of leaving already?_

"We should all go to sleep, we have an early day tomorrow." Tifa ordered and Cloud looked around him to notice everything was all cleaned up.  
"Thanks Reeve" She said and then she went up the stairs.

Soon the others went to their assigned rooms, left were only Cloud, Red and Vincent.

"Vincent, you can have my bed if you like."  
"...Do not worry Cloud. I sleep well on the couch..."  
"It's not you I'm worrying about, it's Tifa. She'd strangle me if she found out I let you sleep on the couch."

"Besides, the couch is already taken." Red said and jumped up on it.

"I wouldn't want to cause you and Tifa any trouble... Where do you intend to sleep?"  
"I'll just put out an extra matress next to Barret." Cloud said and smiled trying to hide his concern over Barrets' loud snoring.

"...I guess I accept your invitation then..." He said and followed Cloud upstairs.  
"Night Red." Cloud said before going and then he turned of the lights.

**Ok, so this is not **  
**the most entertaining chapter ever written, but it's only the second one and I really have to build up the story before I get to the point so please continue reading. :)**


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